,,iii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #gga ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #ab1 #bjbj,ms4 ,smith 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,hoeven1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,grassley1 ,ms4 ,ernst1 and ,mr4 ,wyden7 submitted the following resolution2 which was considered and agreed to ,,resolution ,designating ,october #bjbj as ,national ,co-op ,month and commending the cooperative business model and the member-owners1 businesses1 employees1 farmers1 ranchers1 and practitioners who use the cooperative business model to positively impact the economy and society4 ,whereas1 during the global ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 cooperatives have taken extraordinary steps to serve their member-owners and communities2 ,whereas a cooperative-- 7#a7 is a business that is owned and governed by its members1 who are the individuals who use the business1 create the products of the business1 or manage the operation of the business2 and 7#b7 operates under the #g principles of-- 7,a7 voluntary open membership2 7,b7 democratic control2 7,c7 owner economic participation2 7,d7 autonomy and independence2 7,e7 education1 training1 and information2 7,f7 cooperation among cooperatives2 and 7,g7 concern for community2 ,whereas cooperative entrepreneurs can be found in almost every economic sector of the ,united ,states1 throughout all #ej ,states and territories1 and in every congressional district of the ,united ,states2 ,whereas cooperatives help farmers increase incomes and become more resilient to economic business cycles by working together to plan and prepare for the future1 while contributing significantly to the economic activity in the agriculture and food markets of the ,united ,states2 ,whereas the roughly #a1hjj agricultural cooperatives in the ,united ,states operate more than #h1jjj facilities1 employ #if1jjj1jjj1jjj worth of assets1 and generate nearly #bjd1jjj1jjj1jjj in business annually2 ,whereas the majority of the #b1jjj1jjj farmers in the ,united ,states belong to an agricultural cooperative2 ,whereas agricultural cooperatives offer members the opportunity to access commodity value-added profits throughout the handling1 processing1 and distribution chains2 ,whereas member-owners of agricultural cooperatives are dedicated to providing the highest quality product for consumers2 ,whereas agricultural cooperatives add significant benefits to the economic well-being of rural areas of the ,united ,states by providing more than #bej1jjj jobs with annual wages totaling more than #h1jjj1jjj1jjj2 ,whereas agricultural cooperatives provide resources to their member-owners1 such as low-cost supplies1 effective marketing1 and services2 ,whereas farmer members of agricultural cooperatives have the opportunity to pool resources and reinvest profits into the communities of the farmer members2 ,whereas the principles of cooperation and the cooperative business model help smallholder farmers organize themselves and gain access to local and global markets1 training1 improved inputs1 and aggregated sales and marketing2 ,whereas the cooperative business model provides farmers ownership over their economic decisions1 a focus on learning1 and a broader understanding of environmental and social concerns2 ,whereas the cooperative business model has been used throughout the history of the ,united ,states to advance civil rights and to help ensure that all individuals have equal access to economic opportunity2 ,whereas the comprehensive global food security strategy established under section #e of the ,global ,food ,security ,act of #bjaf 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #icjd7 7commonly known as ,feed the ,future7 and the ,cooperative ,development ,program of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development use cooperative principles and the cooperative business model to advance international development1 nutrition1 resilience1 and economic security2 ,whereas the ,interagency ,working ,group on ,cooperative ,development-- 7#a7 is an interagency group that is coordinated and chaired by the ,secretary of ,agriculture to foster cooperative development and ensure coordination with ,federal agencies and national and local cooperative organizations that have cooperative programs and interests2 and 7#b7 as of the date of introduction of this resolution1 had organized #d meetings2 ,whereas the bipartisan ,congressional ,cooperative ,business ,caucus unites ,members of ,congress to-- 7#a7 create a better-informed electorate and a more educated public on the important role that cooperatives play in the economy of the ,united ,states and the world2 7#b7 promote the cooperative business model1 because that model ensures that consumers have access to high-quality goods and services at competitive prices and costs that improve the lives of individuals1 families1 and their communities2 and 7#c7 address and correct awareness challenges among the public and within the ,federal ,government relating to what cooperatives look like1 who participates in cooperatives1 where cooperatives are located1 and why individuals choose cooperatives2 ,whereas the ,bureau of the ,census1 as part of the #bjag ,economic ,census1 asked each business if the business was organized as a cooperative1 and the responses of businesses yielded both quantitative and qualitative data on the effects and importance of cooperatives across the economy of the ,united ,states2 ,whereas1 throughout rural areas of the ,united ,states1 many utility service providers operate as cooperatives and are tasked with the delivery of public services1 such as electricity1 water1 telecommunications1 and broadband1 in areas where investor-owned utility companies typically do not operate2 ,whereas utility cooperatives have innovated to meet the evolving needs of their member-owners and help rural individuals in the ,united ,states prosper2 ,whereas1 in the financial services sector1 cooperatives1 including credit unions1 farm credit banks1 and other financing organizations that lend to cooperatives1 provide numerous benefits to the member-owners of those cooperatives2 ,whereas member-owners of cooperatives vote in board elections1 and earned profits cycle back into cost-saving programs or return as dividend payments2 ,whereas purchasing and shared service cooperatives allow independent and franchise businesses to thrive2 ,whereas food cooperatives range in size from small1 local buying clubs to multi-store regional giants that compete with chain stores with locations across the ,united ,states2 ,whereas1 in the housing sector1 housing cooperatives and resident-owned communities in which members own the building or land-- 7#a7 are an alternative to conventional rental apartments1 manufactured home parks1 and condominiums2 and 7#b7 empower each resident with ownership and responsibility2 ,whereas housing cooperatives have roots dating to the late #ahjjs and are increasingly becoming a housing alternative for students at colleges throughout the ,united ,states2 ,whereas shared equity housing cooperatives are a critical option for preserving long-term1 affordable housing2 ,whereas cooperatives allow residents of manufactured home communities to collectively purchase the land on which they live1 providing stability and the opportunity to self-govern2 ,whereas1 as of #bjai1 not less than #a1jjj manufactured home communities were resident-owned1 accounting for approximately #b percent of all manufactured home communities2 ,whereas the growth of worker cooperatives in the ,united ,states is allowing more workers to own and have greater control over their businesses2 ,whereas many small businesses convert to cooperatives when faced with closure or a buyout1 ensuring the business can continue to serve its community2 and ,whereas the cooperative business model allows business owners to retire and transfer business ownership to employees or consumers1 protecting local ownership and supporting local communities3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 designates ,october #bjbj as ,national ,co-op ,month2 7#b7 commends the cooperative business model for-- 7,a7 its contributions to the economy2 7,b7 the jobs it creates2 and 7,c7 its positive impacts on local communities2 7#c7 expresses confidence in1 and support for1 cooperatives to continue their successes2 and 7#d7 will be mindful in crafting legislation that affects business models that are not the cooperative business model so that the legislation does not adversely affect the cooperative business model4